My new favorite word is “Theoretically.” (Just a note, I couldn’t spell it…had to look it up.) I use this word to escape obligation and responsibility. For example: Friend “Have you been writing a lot? Are you almost finished with another book?” My reply “Theoretically.” Translation: I have all my things out or maybe even […]

You are there. With a flourish you type in that final period (or more likely correct that final spelling error). You have researched, revised, re-written and you are ready for someone to read your latest novel. This is called a “Beta Read.” Official definition according to Wikipedia (okay, not the go-to source, but this is […]

During my recent writing road trip I spent two weeks in Bandelier National Park, where much of my latest work in progress takes place. While there I was able to watch a huge project: the maintenance of the Frey Trail which leads from the campground to the canyon. I had planned to hike this trail, […]

This is an educational blog. I found out the other day that people don’t know about Overdrive. They don’t know about California libraries. So I’m going to tell you all so that you can take advantage of this most golden opportunity. Not only that you can save money and quit giving it to big corporations […]

It has been a long time since I thought about an actual “writing lesson” blog post, but I just returned from a wonderful month long writing adventure and came to a realization I want to share. I have long known that the sentence length and even word length can increase or decrease the intensity and […]

Jubilación is the Spanish word for retirement. You have to LOVE it…yes, a time to feel jubilant about your life and to celebrate who you are, what you are capable of and more. I “celebrated” quitting my job seven years ago. I wasn’t old enough to collect my retirement, but it wasn’t much because I […]

I was driving down the freeway through my town the other day and my eye was unexpectedly drawn to a gas station on the frontage road. I realized it was because my sister was pumping gas! She is easily recognizable with her straw hat, long braid and flowing skirts…but it was that whole subconscious thing […]

I am waxing introspective again today. This is a pastime that can send my mind into a tailspin. The first time this happened I was very young. Some book, teacher, television program (although we didn’t have a TV when I was young, so unlikely)…but somewhere I heard that no two snowflakes are alike. This brought […]

Two things happened this week to send me into my “mulling this one over” state. The first was my novel was returned by the Alpha Reader and the second was a Facebook post in one of my writing groups that spurred a lot of discussion. The Facebook post was a link to some famous female […]

I had to look up why free giveaways are called swag, only to realize that I had been calling them slag for some time. The two definitions….well maybe I have been giving away slag. SWAG: Three meanings. Only one means the bookmarks and pens given away as promotional materials. The other means the loot a […]

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